Our web-site conducted a poll, offering its visitors to name MVP of the League regular season. By the results the first place took the center of Lietuvos Rytas Jonas Valanciunas (36 per cent - of respondents). Among three of the best players in fans’ version are the center of Khimki Kreshemir Loncar (22%) and CSKA forward Andrey Kirilenko (14%).

We remind that this regular season Jonas Valanciunas became the best in two statistical ratings - rebounds (8.0 per game) and block shots (1.75), and he also got to the top three ranking of effective actions (16.5 points – only Kresimir Loncar and Courtney Sims gained more) In addition, a 19-year-old Lithuanian center in February was name MVP of the month.

The holder of MVP title of the regular season VTB United League-2011/12 will be officially named in April. Most valuable player of the regular season will be set due to poll on the League’s web-site, players’ efficiency rate (sum of statistic rates), MVP of the month titles and being in month’s symbolic five during current season and VTB United League council experts’ and Sport-Express newspaper opinion.

Euroleague Basketball is pleased to announce Jonas Valanciunas of Lietuvos Rytas as the fourth annual winner of the Eurocup Rising Star Trophy. The 19-year-old center has put together a tremendous season for his club, controlling the paint on both ends of the floor to help Rytas reach the 2012 Eurocup Finals. The Eurocup Rising Star Trophy recognizes the most outstanding player in the competition who was younger than 22 on July 1 of the summer before the season started.

Simply put, Valanciunas has dominated the Eurocup like few his age ever have. His productivity and talent combined with his role in leading Rytas so deep into the competition make Valanciunas the natural choice as the 2011-12 Eurocup Rising Star!

Valanciunas came off a great summer, in which he led the Lithuanian under-19 team to the gold medal at the World Championships and also played for Lithuania’s senior national team at EuroBasket 2011. Already a basketball icon in Lithuania, Valanciunas then helped L. Rytas to finish the Eurocup Regular Season undefeated with some stellar performances along the way, especially in front of his fans at Siemens Arena. He had 12 points and 8 rebounds against Azovmash and did even better – 13 points and 11 rebounds in 19 minutes – against Le Mans. He even raised his playing level in the Last 16 stage, especially after Rytas's opening loss against Lokomotiv Kuban. He had 17 points and 10 rebounds against Benetton and barely missed another double-double – 12 points and 9 boards – against Alba Berlin. When Rytas faced a make-or-break road game in Treviso, Valanciunas delivered with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting and 7 rebounds in a critical 74-80 win. Valanciunas continued to shine with team highs of 14 points, 8.5 rebounds and a 22.5 index in the two-game quarterfinals series against BC Donetsk to secure a berth at the Eurocup Finals. This far he has averaged 11.3 points on 64.1% shooting, 80% free throw shooting, 7.9 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 3.5 fouls drawn in this Eurocup season.

VENTSPILS, Latvia – Lietuvos Rytas have made a strong statement in moving into the Final Four, defeating Ventspils 79-69 on Monday night, to be the only team to move into the Final Four with a clean sweep record in the quarter finals.

Running out to a 13-point lead by the end of the opening quarter on the back of some wayward shooting from their hosts, the red and blacks were able to do enough to hold on over the remaining 30 minutes in a less-than-perfect performance.

Jonas Valanciunas and Mindaugas Katelynas lead the guests with 14 points apiece.

The game could not have started any worse for the hosts who hit just one-of-14 shots from the floor in the first 10 minutes with Arturs Berzins picking up their solitary five points in the opening frame.

Berzins finished the night with 11 points, just one of two Ventspils players to make it into double figures.

Gundars Vetra's team found their offensive rhythm in the second quarter but it was not enough to see them make a dent in their visitors' lead as Valanciunas' used his height under the hoop to pick up six points and two rebounds in the frame, despite sharing his time on court with Predrag Samardziski.

Going point-for-point with Lietuvos Rytas after the break, Ventspils season was going to need a late miracle if it was going to remain alive.

A pair of Jahmar Young free-throws with three-and-a-half minutes to play gave Ventspils a slight glimmer of hope as the lead was cut to eight points.

However, time was working against Ventspils as their tactic to foul heavily in the dying stages proved fruitless with Lietuvos Rytas' shooters retaining cool heads at the free-throw line.

"The 19-year-old center has put together a tremendous season for his club, controlling the paint on both ends of the floor to help Rytas reach the 2012 Eurocup Finals. The Eurocup Rising Star Trophy recognizes the most outstanding player in the competition who was younger than 22 on July 1 of the summer before the season started. Motiejunas, who will turn 20 years on May 6, has shown maturity beyond his years, changing games on defense, while posting quite productive numbers on offense"

"The 19-year-old center has put together a tremendous season for his club, controlling the paint on both ends of the floor to help Rytas reach the 2012 Eurocup Finals. The Eurocup Rising Star Trophy recognizes the most outstanding player in the competition who was younger than 22 on July 1 of the summer before the season started. Motiejunas, who will turn 20 years on May 6, has shown maturity beyond his years, changing games on defense, while posting quite productive numbers on offense"

They downhill slide has started. I just hate it that he is starting to 'settle" for mediocre games.

I wouldn't go as far as to say such things... You have to look at the opponent as well which was the best Lithuanian team (champions) - Zalgiris even though they've lost Weems & Collins for good. JV's direct opponents were starting Lithuanian national team players Javtokas (C) and Jankunas (PF/C) who have literally TONS of more experience than him and are more of defensive minded players. I think the stupid stupid coach's Dzikic decision to bench him for an absurd amount of time and lack of experience made him get flustered and lose his game after a great first half (I believe 10pts & 6reb).

It's only natural that players stats might drop into the end of the season where the opponents get tougher (finals, playoffs etc.) and the team is more focused on winning and not individual performances. I'm just happy that Jonas doesn't really have BAD games. He either plays good or veryyy good. Such consistency for a 19 year old kid says a lot.

I wouldn't go as far as to say such things... You have to look at the opponent as well which was the best Lithuanian team (champions) - Zalgiris even though they've lost Weems & Collins for good. JV's direct opponents were starting Lithuanian national team players Javtokas (C) and Jankunas (PF/C) who have literally TONS of more experience than him and are more of defensive minded players. I think the stupid stupid coach's Dzikic decision to bench him for an absurd amount of time and lack of experience made him get flustered and lose his game after a great first half (I believe 10pts & 6reb).

It's only natural that players stats might drop into the end of the season where the opponents get tougher (finals, playoffs etc.) and the team is more focused on winning and not individual performances. I'm just happy that Jonas doesn't really have BAD games. He either plays good or veryyy good. Such consistency for a 19 year old kid says a lot.

Thanks, man.

Regardless of good information or bad information, it is nice to have a Lithuanian perspective. These types of comments are not available through a boxscore, write up by the team, or highlights.

Whoa, sorry. I thought it was obvious I was making a joke. I don't think JV is the kind of player who could dissappoint me. I believe if he has a bad game, he will only learn from it and come back stronger. I would have put a smiley in there but I believed is was so obvious I was joking I didn't need to. That's the problem with forums. Can't get conversational tone across.